In our institute, carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been performed using GuardWire and Wallstent RP, regardless of plaque pathology. In this study, we evaluated our results (high-intensity area on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), stroke/death/myocardial infarction within 30 days, ipsilateral stroke/neurological death after 31 days, and retreatment after CAS).
Between April 2005 and December 2009, 76 CAS procedures were performed on 74 patients. DWI obtained after CAS showed a high-intensity area in 13 of 75 procedures (17.3%). Two patients (2.6%) died of stroke and myocardial infarction within 30 days after CAS. One patient (1.3%) had symptomatic cerebral infarction; the other, intracranial hemorrhage. Ipsilateral stroke and neurological death after 31 days occurred in 1 patient (1.3%), who had ipsilateral cerebral infarction at 24 months. Retreatment after CAS was required in 2 patients (2.6%).
CAS performed using GuardWire and Wallstent RP is an effective and safe procedure. It is important to achieve proficiency in the use of technical devices to perform successful CAS.
